Bangladesh drop Rasel and Reza

Bangladesh have trimmed their original 17-man squad for the two-Test series against South Africa to 14.

Allrounder Farhad Reza, left-arm spinner Enamul Haque jnr and Syed Rasel, the left-arm medium pacer who dislocated his collar bone during a tour game and missed out the series against New Zealand, were the players to be axed. The trio shared eight wickets in the South Africans' ongoing tour match against a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI but the selectors have opted for Sajidul Islam, Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain as the three primary bowlers.

There was some concern over Habibul Bashar, who skipped the three-day practice match due to a thumb injury, but he has been retained.

The first Test begins on February 22 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

Bangladesh squad: Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Aftab Ahmed, Habibul Bashar, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Rafique, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Rajin Saleh, Sajidul Islam, Shahadat Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal